Friday, July 27, 2012

Another Dine LA Restaurant Week

Dine LA’s summer Restaurant Week wraps up today. Mike, Elana, and I got a restaurant in just under the wire by visiting Grub last night. Grub is a charming little place right in the heart of Hollywood on Seward between Highland, Cahuenga, Santa Monica, and Melrose, surrounded by warehouses and post-production companies.

Season Two Top Chef contestant Betty Fraser opened the restaurant with Denise DeCarlo about 9 years ago. It’s very cute and quaint covered in tchotchkes and doodads that add to its charm.

Although Chef Betty didn’t wait on us specifically, we did see her in and out of the dining room throughout the evening which was kind of fun.

As with past Dine LA events, participating restaurants prepare three course meal options for diners at a prix fixe price. Grub’s menu options are like upscale American comfort food – read a heart attack on a plate - but totally delish!

We all started off with a “crack bacon quesadilla”. The sweet and savory bacon was truly addicting.

For our main course we ordered a couple of pulled pork sandwiches and the mac & cheese. Both were quite tasty and HUGE. The pork was sweet and spicy and so tender. Chardonnay wine is used in the cheese sauce, and I love food is cooked with wine.

By this time, we were all stuffed! That didn’t stop us from ordering our third course though…dessert! It was part of the meal people!

One of each dessert was ordered – Quarter of a Big Ass Ice Cream Sandwich, Cyndi’s Chocolate Bacon Sandwich, and Libby’s Famous Cookies.

The cookies are homemade chocolate chip and potato chip – they were very soft and very different.Next was the crack bacon sandwich. This was so sweet and rich, I wasn’t really a fan. It was too bready for me. Mike and I did however dig out all the bacon – the crack bacon because it was so addicting.

The best part of the whole evening was when the server put down this plate last and said, “And here’s your ‘Ass’.” Ha ha ha! I don’t know about anyone else, but this looks like a whole Big Ass ice cream sandwich, not a quarter of one. It was the best dessert out of the three, but still a little bit too sweet for me.

While we ate dessert, a man walked into the restaurant and asked for a menu. He said that he was riding by on his bike with his kids and it smelled so good he just had to stop. We agree! The smells and tastes were amazing. I would definitely go back to Grub again, even for their regular menu.

18 comments:

What a truly excellent idea to get people out spending. I wish that there was an initiative like that here. I wouldn't be all that on the food mind you, but I sure that there are other places that are a bit less pork and dairy.One of the problems we've got is that people aren't spending. And worse the businesses that are still going aren't reducing prices. They are still expecting 2006/7 and being hit with credit cards in colours that hadn't had a name.

Yah it is a good idea, especially for those pricier places that you wouldn't ever go to on a regular basis. Grub's menu is fairly reasonable anyways but we probably spent more with the three course meal than we would have if we had just ordered one thing off the menu. We even got a $10 off coupon for the next time we go. That kind of thing would definitely be an incentive to go back. I don't know why more places don't do that. You'd think the volume of customers would outweigh the decrease in price.

We were discussing that very thing about the area as we ate there. There are a few areas around LA where homes are intermingled amongst mostly businesses. They are congested and busy during the day. At night time, when all the workers go home, the areas are basically deserted other than those few residents.

Yes, they were very pretty, but I'm not that much of a dessert person either. Every so often, but rarely do I order it when I'm out to dinner. These three course meals are a fun excuse to try it, but whenever I do I regret it. All three of us got back in the car groaning about how full we were. Bleh!

Wow! The food looks yummy!! When you stopped by my blog earlier you mentioned that you weren't sure if you're ready for The Cafe. I would definitely give yourself time on that. I also started with just the Daily Five and then went on to Cafe.

I love that you go to these. Love it! : ) Gary wants to go to a nice restaurant tonight for our anniversary but i am shooting a wedding. I will tell him to look at this post instead and just pretend we are there together. : )

Are you watching the Eventing. When did they start worrying so much that they are putting the riders in blowup safety jackets. It was always rather satisfying to see some chick or long streak of misery arse-up over the ears of a nag. Knowing that they would be one big soar the next week.You'd have to say it's something of a sporting mothership for blondy people. I don't think I've see SOOO many blonde's in one place, ever.

Ugh! No, I haven't watched any yet. :(. Our tv coverage has been so hard to follow. With the time difference we know the results before they even televise the events, and since the events are all taped, they cut away from one to the next. It's been so hard to follow. There's been so much criticism about the Romney's dressage horse, so I'm surprised they've not shown more. I looked it up online though and I think it's supposed to start airing early tomorrow morning, I've got it recorded. So, no I haven't seen the safety jackets yet. Speaking from experience, your description is spot on. The only bad thing about watching the horse stuff is that it makes me miss it.